Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Barbecue at the Command Post
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Meanwhile, four hours before Reina was set to meet Lee Dong-wook.
Having spent all morning burning with fighting spirit and taking down two Grade 7 demonic beasts and eight Grade 8 ones, Cheon Seo-yoon lay under a large zelkova tree, dealing with a late lunch.
The menu was, of course, a calorie bar.
This time, she imagined spicy sundae gukbap while chewing, but the miracle from earlier that morning didn't happen.
The smell? Yeah, right.
All that was left was a sticky dryness in her throat.
"Fucking tasteless."
Wetting her throat with bottled water, Cheon Seo-yoon clutched her still-hungry stomach and flopped back down.
Above her, against the blue sky, white clouds floated lazily.
They looked just like chicken legs, drawing her gaze as if hypnotized.
That's pizza. That's ribs. And a drone...
Looks delicious... Drone?
Lost in a daze and grinning like an idiot, Cheon Seo-yoon suddenly glared with full irritation.
"That damn..."
Professor Lee Taek-jin.
Afraid of voice recognition, she didn't finish the sentence, but her resentment had indeed piled up.
Losing the seed to Reina aside.
She could've just taken the exam normally.
What was so important to evaluate that they pushed her to this extent?
If only they'd given her a heads-up in advance.
Or at least guaranteed basic food, clothing, and shelter—so she could be evaluated like a human being...
She wouldn't be this pissed off.
Cheon Seo-yoon irritably yanked at her hair, then grimaced again.
"Ugh..."
It had been two days without washing, so her oily hair made her fingers slick.
"Sigh."
But soon, she let her shoulders slump in resignation.
Complaining wouldn't change anything.
Better to use the time to find a stream and wash up.
Rustle.
That's when she suddenly sensed a suspicious presence.
Cheon Seo-yoon quickly gripped her longsword.
If it was a demonic beast, she'd smash it; if it was another Taehak Island student, she'd stay cautious regardless.
"Huh?"
But she soon realized it wasn't necessary.
The one emerging from the bushes was Class A's weakest, a girl evaluated as having zero combat ability.
Cheon Seo-yoon was the first to acknowledge her as their eyes met, making the other flinch.
"Park Young-ji, right?"
"No, Min..."
"Oh, right. Park Young-min."
"No, my surname is Min."
"Oh, right. Min Young-ji."
Cheon Seo-yoon scratched her nape awkwardly, then grimaced again at the sticky skin.
This sparked an unnecessary misunderstanding.
Sensing something off, Min Young-ji hesitated and stepped back.
Cheon Seo-yoon frantically waved her hands to stop her.
"W-Wait, can we just talk for a bit? It's the first person I've seen in two days. Let's exchange some info."
"......"
An awkward silence hung around them for a moment, but Cheon Seo-yoon pressed on regardless.
"Got any points yet?"
"No, not really..."
"How many calorie bars you got left? I rationed mine and have five left."
"Really?"
Min Young-ji's wariness gradually dulled under the barrage of casual questions.
Thanks to that, they chatted for quite a while, and Cheon Seo-yoon gleaned some very important information.
"Oh, and I think the command and control room is in Zone E."
"Command and control room?"
"Yeah, I spotted this big, fancy tent. Must be where the professor is, 'cause every mealtime, the food smells insane."
"Wow. Unreal. Our students are suffering, and he's chowing down."
Cheon Seo-yoon clicked her tongue loudly, but then a sudden thought flashed through her mind, widening her eyes.
"Can you tell me exactly where it is?"
"Oh, uh, if you head south straight down..."
As a pathfinder trait holder, Min Young-ji explained it simply and in detail enough for the directionally challenged Cheon Seo-yoon to understand.
"Ah, so that's..."
Why she smelled bok-eotguk.
It wasn't far from where she'd camped the first night.
Nodding, Cheon Seo-yoon soon flashed a meaningful smile and made a vow.
Tonight's dinner spot would be right there.
Then she could experience the miracle of bok-eotguk-flavored calorie bars once more.
Not only that, but she'd spend a safer night, protected from demonic beast attacks.
A professor's presence would scare them off.
"Heh, thanks for the info. Time to split."
After a brief hesitation, Cheon Seo-yoon pulled out a calorie bar.
She could hunt or scavenge for more, but Min Young-ji didn't seem like she could.
"Take this. I'm off."
Cheon Seo-yoon tossed it over so she couldn't refuse and bolted.
* * *
After parting with Min Young-ji, Cheon Seo-yoon set her next destination as Professor Lee Taek-jin's luxurious tent: the command and control room.
Heading south in the direction Min Young-ji indicated, she crossed a dense coniferous forest and a ravine.
About two hours later.
As the western sky dyed orange with sunset, she finally spotted it.
"Wow..."
But seeing it in person, "tent" felt too modest for such an impressive structure.
The camouflage blending with the surroundings was top-notch, and its sheer size made it look like some tycoon's villa.
"Professors have it good."
Envy from head to toe aside, Cheon Seo-yoon shook it off and eyed the tent with growing anticipation.
Dinner time was approaching.
Soon, the door opened.
A tall silhouette stepped out, stretching.
Then it hauled out a large drum barrel—what the hell.
It lit a fire and started grilling meat.
"What the..."
The blatant barbecue enjoyment left her dumbfounded for a moment.
Was Professor Lee Taek-jin wearing training clothes?
Looking closer, something felt off.
Tall, yes, but slender build, and a remarkably youthful face.
Who the hell is that?
Unknowingly, Cheon Seo-yoon crept closer to the tent.
As the distance shrank, the features sharpened.
Straight nose, sharp jawline...
That smug face looked eerily familiar.
Finally, Cheon Seo-yoon couldn't hold back and yelled.
"Hey, you! Wh-What the..."
The man grilling meat on what might as well be Diamond Mountain—Park Ha-yul—tilted his head toward her.
"What. It's you."
"You? More like, what's with the tent and the meat? Wait, is someone with you?"
Cheon Seo-yoon clamped her mouth shut and gestured at the tent.
If Park Ha-yul was just the errand boy and the real owner was inside, it made sense.
But Park Ha-yul just smirked.
"Who's with me? I prepared it all. It's mine."
"What? How?"
"The professor gave a hint. Keyword: survival."
"Just that one word?"
Cheon Seo-yoon's jaw dropped.
No way some lunatic prepared all this—mentioned less than a day ago—from a single word.
"No way."
"Don't believe me then."
Park Ha-yul replied flatly, tonging a piece of meat.
Fwoosh—
He blew on it to cool it, then popped it in his mouth.
Slurp, smack—
Barely chewed a few times, yet he smiled contentedly.
Was the sight too shocking?
"Ah..."
Cheon Seo-yoon gaped like an idiot, forgetting to close her mouth as she stared.
Then Park Ha-yul picked up a lettuce leaf, shook off the water, and asked as if giving in.
"You must've had it rough these past few days. Wanna eat?"
"Huh? Uh. N-No, why would I be struggling? Eating fine, living fine."
Nod nod, shake shake.
Her head wobbled uncertainly.
She'd acted tough out of annoyance at the obvious question, but her instincts said otherwise.
Her last scrap of pride crumbled at Park Ha-yul's next words.
"Join me before dinner if you want. Too much for one person."
"R-Really?"
"Waste it otherwise."
"True that."
Damn right.
In the end, Cheon Seo-yoon shuffled to the drum barrel, pretending reluctance.
She sneakily lifted her chopsticks to snag a well-done piece.
Whatever jackpot this was, she swallowed the pooling saliva and opened wide—
"10 points."
"Guh."
—only to drop it back and shout.
"What the hell, man?"
10 points?
...Come on, there's a limit.
Not free, fine, but too damn expensive.
She'd busted her ass hunting all day for 12 points—might as well demand she cough them all up.
"Man? Still delusional. Take it or leave it."
"W-Wait."
She wasn't refusing—just wanted a fair price.
"...6 points. Let's do 6."
"6 points?"
"I busted my ass all day for 12 points total."
Cheon Seo-yoon gazed at Park Ha-yul with pitiful eyes.
Embarrassing as hell, something she'd never try normally, but she gave it her all to evoke sympathy.
Big doe eyes staring wistfully, she even tucked a stray hair behind her ear.
...
"Hm?"
Suddenly, a crack in Park Ha-yul's stoic expression.
His eyes flicked up to the air—no, her crown.
Like he was embarrassed, avoiding eye contact, shrinking back.
Huh?
So Cheon Seo-yoon totally misunderstood.
Her beauty had shaken him, drawing out sympathy.
Looks are power after all.
Even disheveled and grubby now, her original glow remained.
This guy's a total shy guy—
Buoyed with confidence, Cheon Seo-yoon pushed harder.
"Mm~ Lemme owe you. I'll pay you back at Taehak for sure. Yeah?"
Awkward nasal tone, shoulders shimmying~
And it yielded surprising results.
Park Ha-yul, who seemed unflappable even under a needle prick.
For the first time, flustered tones leaked from him.
"...Whatever, fine."
* * *
About three minutes earlier.
"I busted my ass all day for 12 points total."
Around when her ridiculous haggling and weird gestures started pissing me off.
My vision shook, and messages poured in.
───────────────
[Main Quest #7]
[Objective: Arrange meeting between Joo Ah-rin and Mountain Lord.]
[Reward: +25 days to remaining time, 40 SP]
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[Sub Quest #7-1]
[Objective: Support Reina, who faces elimination risk.]
[Reward: +5 days to remaining time, 10 SP]
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[Change]
-The group obstructing Joo Ah-rin and Mountain Lord's meeting, 'Strange Things,' deemed too weak. Grade increased.
Hmm.
Using Cheon Seo-yoon's crown as a base, I stoically eyed the tower of stacked messages.
First, Mountain Lord.
The master of Diamond Mountain, whom Joo Ah-rin absolutely needed to meet for her growth.
I'd half-expected the sub quest and change too, so no surprise.
I quickly grasped how to handle it...
"Mm~ Lemme owe you. I'll pay you back at Taehak for sure. Yeah?"
What'd this girl eat wrong?
No, starving's making her delirious?
Anyway, twisting her body all weird unlike usual, and that condescending gaze felt burdensome.
"Whatever, fine."
So I accepted.
No point haggling more points.
Cheon Seo-yoon's value had skyrocketed before and after the messages.
[Change]
Needed a sturdy horse to handle the stronger-than-original Strange Things, and here she was, plump and ready.
Walking right up, message perched atop her head.
"For real? I'm eating then."
"Yeah. Eat up. Gotta eat big to fight big."
"Fight?"
"Nah, nothing."
I shoved the fully cooked meat toward her and checked the live watch.
Just confirming what was up with Reina.
Sure enough.
Hyena-like bastards swarmed her area.
Nothing immediate, but time to move.
Decision made, I pointed at the remaining meat and told Cheon Seo-yoon.
"Sorry, gotta head out. But take all this instead."